The Key To the Past
by ScottXLoganNetwork
Summary: Post Days of Future Past Charles Xavier sends his group of teenage mutants out in search of a man who once helped him not so long ago. When the group lead by Scott Summers finds their way to the mystery mutant, Scott finds himself wrapped up in a situation he isn't quite prepared for when his past, present and future all collide.
1. Chapter 1

"Scott! Be careful in there, would you?" Jean's voice whispered in the back of Scott's mind as he pushed his long, slender fingers through the rock wall in front of him. With a small shove and a low grunt, he managed to slide one of the loose stones away from the solid surface in order to allow himself to get inside the dilapidated walls of the compound, "I really wish you would've let me help you with this."

"You are," Scott noted taking in a breath and wedging himself in between the solid wall and the wreckage, "Let Charles and the others know where I'm at. Once they find their way inside, tell them to go upstairs and make sure the Blackbird is ready for takeoff."

"I don't like this," Jean's voice was laced with concern, "Something feels off about this mission."

"Charles knows what he's doing," Scott reminded her, "Finding this mutant is imperative. He's in trouble and…"

"Why you?" Jean questioned with obvious distain in her voice, "Why did he send you down there alone when the rest of us are more than capable of helping on this mission?"

"Trust me Jean. You don't want to be down here right now. I can handle this," Scott whispered feeling the heavy weight of her disapproval in the back of his mind. However, now was not a time for arguing, not when he'd found himself knee deep in water working his way through the underground mazes at the fallen compound. Granted Charles could've invited Jean to join him on this particular mission, but told Scott that he hadn't wanted her to be involved with what Scott may find inside of the ruins of madness he was walking into. Scott, on the other hand, was ready. He'd been briefed on the awful experiments that had taken place in this dreadful temple of madness. He'd known well about them as Charles had pulled him aside questioning Scott's ability to put the mission first above his own concerns for his past.

"It's going to be a very dark place for you Scott. It will open up the door to questions about your past you might not be ready to face, but in the process it might help you to look to what's ahead in your future," Charles had warned him preemptively before they'd set off on the jet.

"I'll just be happy to be comfortable in my present," Scott admitted with a small sigh knowing full well that his past was one of the last places he'd wanted to go again after he'd finally found a new home with Charles and the others.

"I realize that Scott, but this mission," Charles paused drawing emphasis to his words, "it's important in ways that I can't quite explain to you just yet. There are things that we haven't discussed in our sessions, but that doesn't make their importance any less for this mission at hand."

"I realize that Professor and I won't let you down," Scott promised with a nod, "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to show you that you picked the right man for the job."

"I know I have," Charles simply smiled at him, "and just so you know, if we seek this mutant out, then you may revisit that part of your past we've been working through."

"I'm well aware of that," Scott noted before further promising Charles that his faith hadn't been misplaced in the eighteen year old squad leader. Now, however, as Scott stepped into murky water that came up to his knee level he'd found that things were easier said than done in pressing forward. In an instant he was met by the scent of blood and death—things that Hank would undoubtedly grow frantic over when Scott weaved his lithe form through the haunted remains.

"The others will help guide you through this journey," Charles promised before Scott had dutifully accepted the mission to enter into a world he would have just as soon forgotten. Even now he could feel familiarity over his body, weighing in upon his shoulders as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Of course he had an advantage over the others with his mutation. It gave him an edge, made him faster on his feet in knowing that he could weave through the tunnels without the benefit of light or even his visor. He'd made the trip once before while the others were simply first time visitors in a place where hell had engulfed so many others.

"How are you doing down there?" Jean's voice pressed into Scott's mind again when the water deepened rising up to hip level for him.

"I'm almost beneath the atrium," Scott explained drawing in a shallow breath. He heard a noise in the distance causing him to tense up and find himself momentarily caught up in his past remembering the torture, the experimentation and the face of a man who had haunted his nightmares for so very long. Closing his eyes he exhaled a shallow breath. He was close—he could feel it as he forced himself to step forward through the darkness, "Make sure Hank and the others are ready when I come back up there and Jean?"

"Yes?" she questioned with a small sense of concern in her voice.

"Everything is going to be alright," Scott promised shifting gears on his focus and moving down the darkened hallway to his left.

"Is it?" she inquired with hesitation in her words, "Last night something was wrong Scott. When you fell asleep…"

"We shouldn't be discussing this now," Scott whispered hearing his words echo when the water was now at his waist level, "Charles could be listening."

"I don't care," she argued with him, "When you fell asleep next to me you were upset. There wasn't any peace in your dreams."

"Not now Jean," Scott's jaw flexed with tension. He surveyed the area struggling to find the answers he was seeking out when he continued down the darkened path, "We need to focus on the mission."

"There was something in the sound of your voice that frightened me Scott. There was terror and confusion and…" Jean began again pushing the issue further.

"It was just a nightmare," Scott cut her off abruptly, "Nothing to be concerned about."

"How can I not worry? After the day we spent together things felt nice Scott. Everything was peaceful until we fell asleep for the first time together and then you started screaming Scott," Jean's worried voice carried over the back of his mind, "There is plenty to be concerned about. Something's troubling you—something to do with this place."

"Jean, you promised me that you wouldn't prod," Scott couldn't help, but frown, "My past is something that I don't want to talk about. You said that you understood that."

"I do Scott, but at the same time," she paused with obvious hesitation in her voice, "when I felt your pain I couldn't help, but peer inside. When we were kissing it was so strong. You radiated of it and…"

"Jean, get Hank now!" Scott cut her off abruptly when he noticed a lump of flesh doubled over in the darkness, "I've found him!"

"What?" she replied when his words began to register inside of her.

"I found him. He's here," Scott explained seeing the man before him curled up on a rock shelf just above the murky water, "Make sure the atrium is clear."

"Scott!" Jean's voice called out to him again, but he ignored her in favor of rushing forward to discover the fallen mutant before him bloodied and unconscious pressed up against the rock wall. His naked torso was riddled with cuts and bruises, but beyond that the rest of his body appeared raw and torn. Scott shuddered momentarily when he reached out for the man only to discover the burns upon his flesh.

"Tell them I found him," Scott repeated reaching out to touch the man's shoulder. He was still breathing, which was a good sign, "I'm going to be bringing him up shortly. Make sure Hank is ready for me."

"Fine," Jean replied tuning out of their conversation and leaving Scott to his discovery.

"What happened to you?" Scott questioned sliding his fingers over the man's shoulder again. He could feel the warmth of the man's charred skin providing a contrast to the cool dampness of the dark world that surrounded them. For a moment Scott thought he heard a noise from behind him, but soon he realized it was simply a rat scurrying away from the wall of debris towards the path Scott had made on the way in.

"You sure picked a strange place to give up," Scott noted bending down to take a closer look at the man beside him. Through the darkness he seemed large and threatening even in the position he was in. Even in his state of undress and unconsciousness Scott couldn't help, but take note of his thick, muscular contours. Regardless of what had happened to the man, it was clear that the man had been a fighter, his every sinewy line a force to be reckoned with when Scott touched the man's bicep. He was unresponsive as Scott's gloved finger pushed over the skin seeing the once charred skin begin to heal right before his very eyes.

"What the…?" Scott trailed off when the charred flesh began to heal, returning to hair dusted smoothness beneath Scott's touch. Withdrawing his fingers Scott watched as the man before him shifted on the wall of rock. The man's chest rose and fell with the sudden gasping breath he took. He seemed to be coming to consciousness when Scott staggered in the water beside him.

"Get a grip," Scott whispered to himself moving forward again when he finally got a glimpse of the man's face before him. He could see the hard lines of his hair covered jawline, the hollow of his cheekbones as his mouth puffed out a heaving breath. It was then that Scott felt his dark eyelashes snap open to gaze up at Scott like a deer in the headlights.

"Who the hell are you?" the man questioned gruffly when Scott heard Jean in his mind alerting him that the others were above them waiting for Scott's orders.

"I'm going to get you out of here," Scott promised moving far enough away from the man to place a safe distance between them, "Don't move. This will only take a second."

"What will?" the man questioned when Scott tipped his head up to the concrete above his head. He took in a long, slow breath before motioning to the man again.

"Take cover because this might be a little messy," Scott warned before addressing Jean once again, "We're coming up!"

"What the…?" the man questioned when Scott focused on the weak part of the structure. He aimed and sent his blast through the ceiling watching as it exploded around them. A moment later pieces of concrete crumbled down into the water, splashing around him as Scott thought of the others upstairs waiting for their return.

"Watch out!" he heard the stranger beside him shout when Scott turned towards him.

"Don't worry I've got this covered," Scott assured the man when an oversized piece of concrete swooped down over Scott in his moment of distraction. Seeing it headed towards him, he placed his hand to his visor preparing to blast the oversized mass to pieces when there was a distinct slam against his waist sending him into the concrete wall opposite of where he stood in the water. A gasp carried over his lips, confusion creasing his brow when he felt the man he'd spotted moments earlier over him, shielding him from the impending collision of concrete.

"I said look out kid," the man snarled with a warm breath over the back of Scott's neck. He felt the weight of the man over him, surprising him with how heavy the man actually turned out to be. Suddenly Scott felt himself tense up, unable to ignore the muscle mass upon him now that he was pressed face first into the coarse stone wall, "Didn't you see that concrete coming at you?"

"Didn't you hear me when I said I've got it covered?" Scott scowled suddenly agitated at realizing the man had undermined his authority. With a twist of his hips and a shift of his head, Scott curled around beneath the man, placing his back on the wall when his lips pursed together in a tight scowl, "I was about to obliterate that when you assaulted me."

"Assaulted you?" the man mused with a hint of laughter in his voice, "With what? My saving your ass?"

"Look I told you that I had it covered," Scott hissed up at the stranger above him, "I was well on my way to rescue you when…"

"Rescue me?" the stranger replied with amusement behind his features, "Who the hell said I was in need of rescuing kid?"

"The professor did. He said that…" Scott's words came to an abrupt ending when there was a rumble overhead. A few seconds later he felt the stranger above him throw himself fully on top of Scott when the ceiling started to tumble down upon them.

"Hey what are you…?" Scott's muffled voice questioned when the man held him tightly, his weight bearing down on Scott hard and heavy until the last piece of concrete splashed into the water beside them. It was then that Scott felt the man above him pull back and search his features once again. His breath was coming out in uneven gasps, his face twisted with concentration when his eyes finally found their way to Scott's mouth. For a moment Scott wasn't sure if the stranger was going to bite him or kiss him when he leaned forward taking a deep inhale of Scott's features. A few seconds of silence passed when the man keeping Scott pinned down beneath him reached out and touched the side of Scott's face with a surprisingly gentle brush of his index finger.

"It's you," the man whispered catching Scott off guard when the man's otherwise grim face shifted to reveal the beginnings of a half smirk above him, "you're here."

"What?" Scott questioned when the man above him bridged the distance between them leading Scott to believe that biting him was no longer an option. With the man's breath upon him, his weight keeping Scott pinned beneath him Scott suddenly felt himself on edge, caught up in a moment of contemplation when he realized that the man above him was moving in for a kiss. Almost immediately Scott reached out to the man's shoulders attempting to push him away when a lump formed in the back of his throat, "Wait."

"I've been waiting forever to find you again," the man whispered sliding his lips against Scott's in a faint, barely there teasing brush of a kiss that caused Scott to tense up beneath him. In an instant the man's fingers pushed into Scott's hair, coaxing Scott's head up off of the wall and into the kiss he'd initiated. Almost immediately Scott's mouth opened in protest, his hands sliding around the man's shoulders to peel his dense body off of Scott's, yet it was a futile moment when Scott felt the man's lips forcing his to part, to accept him and the kiss in all of its confusing arrival. A slow murmur fell from Scott's lips guiding vibrations of sound off of his own tongue and into the invading tongue that stroked and teased his mouth in ways that Scott hadn't even begun to touch upon with Jean. For a man who appeared so dark and dangerous his kiss was slow and languorous leading Scott's fingers to wrap around his shoulders, gently kneading the thick, hard muscle of man over him. His mouth parted further enjoying the way that the man over him stroked him with dizzying sensations, sliding into his mouth readily until the moment when Scott swore he heard Hank calling to him from above. It was enough for Scott to snap out of the moment of insanity and retreat from the kiss. Looking to the man's arm above him, he could see the man had somehow healed—that everything he'd been through was suddenly erased by what Scott suspected was a mutation of sorts. Drawing in a breath Scott attempted to think up something, anything to erase his lapse in judgment. Knowing that he'd allowed the primitive man above him to kiss him, he found himself on edge, caught up in something he hadn't been prepare for. A rational man might've weighed out the situation, might've given it careful consideration, but with Hank and the others above the two of them, Scott gave into a panic and tipped his head downward towards the man's shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Scott apologized in a small whisper, drawing up enough power from his visor to let out a blast that not only threw the man off of him into the opposite wall of the building's broken bottom, but it also stunned the man in the process knocking him unconscious once again.

"What's going on down there?" Hank questioned when Scott shuffled to his feet in a panic. He focused on the man he'd discovered, finding himself struck with an eerie sense of familiarity, yet when he thought of the mission that came to mind, he simply raised his chin up and searched for his friend up above.

"Hank, he's heavy," Scott announced in a business as usual voice, "I'm going to need some help down here. He's unconscious."

"You've got it," Hank replied alerting Scott that he'd be down shortly to join Scott and the stranger while Scott wondered just what it was he was getting himself into.


	2. Chapter 2

"I've been waiting forever to find you again," Scott could hear the stranger's voice call out to him as he sat upright in his bed. Now gasping for breath he found himself wondering just what the man had meant as he'd contemplated the things that Charles had said to him upon the team's return to the school.

"His name is Logan," Charles explained to Scott's inquiries, "He helped Hank and I out with something a while ago."

"What did he help you with?" Scott questioned innocently.

"A bad situation in need of fixing," Charles divulged further, "He's been through some hard times Scott. They have affected his memory you see."

"How so?" Scott inquired unable to quell the curiosity that had overtaken him in finding the man they'd been seeking out.

"Logan has endured a great many things in his life," Charles answered poignantly, "but he'd asked me to do him a favor. Right now he's lost inside of himself and it's my duty to repay my debt to him. He's a good man Scott."

"He thought he knew me when I found him," Scott confessed seeking out answers from Charles in those few moments after he'd briefed Charles on the mission.

"Perhaps he believes he does Scott," Charles simply offered up, "but for now, I think it's best if you get some rest."

"Rest," Scott repeated sliding out of his bed to look around the empty bedroom. It seemed that wasn't an option for him when he recalled the way that the stranger had looked at him. Even now he could feel the stranger's lips upon him, kissing him as if he'd been a long lost love. The thought in itself caused Scott to reach up and touch his lip, focusing on the taste and the feel of the man above him when there was a knock on his bedroom door. It was enough to cause him to leap up when his eyes focused behind his glasses to the soft sounds of rapping on the wood. Taking in a breath Scott moved forward unlocking his door and opening it to discover Jean in the hallway dressed in a soft, white nightgown and matching white, cotton robe.

"Do you have a minute?" she questioned looking around the hallway checking to see if they were alone.

"Sure," Scott nodded attempting to move out of the room only to feel her press her palm into the center of his chest to coax him back into the bedroom.

"In here. I think it's better if we talk in here," she lowered her voice further. She batted her eyelashes at him, her lips curving upward in a mischievous smirk when she slipped inside the room and eased the door to a close behind her. Once she was inside she leaned up against the door, sliding her fingers out behind her to turn the lock for extra privacy, "The professor is with Hank downstairs with our new arrival."

"Has he awakened yet?" Scott questioned curious about the man he'd knocked unconscious during the rescue mission.

"Not as far as I could tell," she shook her head, "He must've been quite unruly if you felt you had to blast him like you did."

"He was clearly out of his mind at the time I found him. He was very disoriented and confused," Scott's thoughts returned to the kiss when he felt Jean's hand upon his arm.

"Something seemed off about the situation. You weren't projecting anything after you found him," she squeezed her fingers over his bicep, "In fact you were quiet after Hank pulled him out of there."

"There wasn't anything to say," Scott lied turning away from her hold on him. He stepped towards the window rubbing his fingers over his arm before looking out onto the night beyond his room.

"Usually we still talk without the others listening," Jean prompted him further, "I tried, but you weren't responding…"

"I told you the mission was a success," Scott's lips curved downwards in the beginnings of a scowl, "That's all there was to it. Charles asked us to retrieve him and we did. There wasn't anything else left to say."

"Then you would've talked to me," Jean replied with a long sigh, "You would've discussed what you saw down there with me on the jet."

"I was focused on returning home," Scott explained looking out onto the quiet gardens beyond the window. The night was breezy and cooler than it had been over the last few weeks indicating that fall was around the corner, yet Scott welcomed the change from the summer heat. Of course the chill he was experiencing in the moment had nothing to do with the night and everything to do with the man he'd found on the mission who had looked at him like he'd been a savory morsel that the man had wanted to devour.

"What happened down there?" Jean questioned stepping further into Scott's bedroom. He could hear her movements on the carpet approaching him when he closed his eyes and attempted to block out the memory of the kiss he and the stranger had shared, "Scott, if you don't want to talk about it, we can always share thoughts. I can take a look inside and…"

"No," Scott finally found the courage to turn around and face her once again, "I told you already that nothing happened. That won't be necessary."

"But…" her lips curved downward in the beginnings of a scowl.

"Jean, did you really come all the way over here to question me about the mission?" Scott inquired giving her a brief once over.

"No," she finally divulged with a small smirk, "that was just an excuse."

"An excuse?" Scott repeated cautiously when she reached for his hand. She pulled him in closer to her with a shake of her head. It caused her long, auburn hair to cascade around her features when she pushed one arm around his slender waist.

"That's right," she nodded in confession, "After I watched you blast through the atrium and rescue that man, well, it got me thinking about us—more specifically about last night."

"I'm sorry I fell asleep on you like that," Scott offered up apologetically, "That was never my intention when…"

"You aren't sleeping now," Jean whispered rising up on her toes to claim his mouth in a sudden kiss. Caught off guard Scott began to stumble backwards when he suddenly felt the pull of invisible fingers keeping him in place. Without a moment's hesitation he realized Jean had used her powers to steady him, to keep him close to her when her arms slid around his shoulders in a tight embrace.

"Jean," Scott breathed her name when she arched back to reveal the smile that had overtaken her in the moment, "I thought you weren't ready for this. You said…"

"I'm ready now," Jean assured him with another kiss, her eyes offering up assurances that he hadn't been prepared for when she came knocking on his door.

"But last night…" Scott stammered when he felt her using her powers to guide them over to his bed.

"Last night was the past," she explained coaxing him to take a seat on the edge of the mattress. A moment later she straddled him, sliding onto his lap and smiling, "this is the present. Our present."

"But…" Scott opened his mouth to protest, to say anything to shift the dynamic of the situation, but he found himself at a loss. Instead his hands pushed readily around her waist, fingers bunching the material of her robe up over her thighs when their lips collided again, "last night you were so certain that we shouldn't be doing this."

"I don't know why I hesitated," she slurred bringing his fingers to the knot on the robe she was wearing, "I'm ready now Scott. I want this."

"So do I, but…" Scott paused seeing the encouragement behind her features, "the professor."

"We're adults now," Jean whispered reaching for one of his hands and bringing it up to her lips in a kiss, "He can't tell us what to do any longer. He can't prevent us from giving in to temptation and instinct—not when what we have together is so powerful."

"I know it is Jean, but I don't want you to think that I don't respect you," Scott raised his chin up as she stroked the side of his face. He looked at her behind his glasses to see the smile that carried over her beautiful features, "I'm willing to give you as much time as you need before we do this. If you aren't ready…"

"I want you Scott," her words reached deep into his head, creating warmth that radiated throughout his body. In an instant he found himself met by her thoughts—by images of the two of them naked together in the center of Scott's bed making love at long last. The fire and the heat that surrounded them became suddenly intense—all-consuming when he felt the fantasy she'd implanted in his mind building and expanding until he felt her probing further into his mind. Beyond the fantasy she was seeking out the truth about what had taken place during the mission in his thoughts when he saw himself back down in that building with Logan. The sensation caused him to tense up beneath her with a frown.

"Jean stop!" Scott snapped with recoil. He pulled away from the kiss feeling as if he'd been hit with an icy blast of water when she pulled out of his mind, "What are you doing?"

"I was just probing around," Jean offered up with a shrug of her shoulders, "I thought you liked it when I looked inside of you."

"Not without permission," he frowned back at her.

"Oh come on Scott," Jean winked at him playfully, "I'm sure we can find a way to make this exciting for the both of us if you just let me inside."

"Don't," Scott slid out from beneath her on the bed. He stood up and placed a distance between them when his thoughts got the best of him. He fought to contain them, to keep them from her when he faced her with a disapproving scowl, "I asked you not to look inside my head like that."

"I know what you said Scott, but you liked what I showed you, didn't you?" she inquired taking a seat on the edge of his bed. She pushed her legs apart over the edge of the mattress. The movement was enough to cause Scott to focus on her long, shapely legs. When she'd noticed that he noticed her fingers pressed over the hem of her white nightgown sliding it up over her thigh in a slow, alluring brush of fabric and skin. Smiling she licked her lips and arched her back in such a way to draw emphasis to her curves once again, "I can show you more if you're interested."

"Jean, what's gotten into you?" Scott questioned when suddenly there was a knock at his bedroom door. Without a second thought he turned away from Jean, reaching out to open the door without thought to consequence or whatever action would follow when he spotted Hank standing outside the door with a less than eager expression on his face.

"Scott, the professor would like to see you," Hank's eyes swept past Scott to where Jean had been seated upon the bed. His brow creased when she pushed her nightgown down over her thighs again. In an instant she stood upright greeting their friend with a smile.

"Hank," she nodded when Hank's gaze diverted away from her and onto Scott again.

"Jean," Hank cleared his throat before speaking up again, "He said it's important Scott."

"Alright," Scott nodded quickly, "I won't keep him waiting then."

"Scott," Jean called out to him when Scott looked over his shoulder to see her standing a few feet away from his bed.

"We can continue this later," Scott replied gulping down when he faced Hank again. He could see disapproval behind Hank's features when he stepped out of his bedroom hoping to put the embarrassment of the situation behind him.

xxxxx

"Scott, I hope I didn't wake you," Charles greeted Scott as soon as Scott stepped into Charles' office. Hank had exited the room giving Scott and Charles privacy with one another as Scott made his way over to the professor's desk.

"You already know you hadn't," Scott replied nervously rubbing his palms against his thigh, hoping his thoughts hadn't betrayed him when he thought about what was happening with Jean in his bedroom, "I know you told me to rest, but…"

"I can understand that you have a lot of questions about the mission I sent you on," Charles interrupted when Scott nervously took a seat across from Charles in front of his desk. Scott shifted in his chair when he noticed that Charles fought to suppress the hint of amusement that carried over his features, "Scott, relax. This isn't about you and Jean liking each other."

"Am I projecting?" Scott gulped down when he thought about what he'd just walked away from.

"Horribly so," Charles answered with a small nod, "Your anxiety is quite overwhelming, but rest assured that Jean's thinking about you right now as well. She's just hoping that I'm not giving you a lecture on inappropriate conduct after hours in the dormitories."

"I can explain…" Scott gulped down harder than before.

"Scott, you don't have to worry about my giving you a lecture," Charles paused when the awkwardness of the situation came into play between them, "I trust you're a smart enough young man that when the time arises, you'll be prepared for whatever life may throw at you."

"I am," Scott nodded shifting on his chair again, "Believe me I think the world of Jean. I respect her more than anything and…"

"I know you do," Charles nodded, "but right now I didn't want to talk to you about Jean. I was hoping we could discuss Logan a little bit further."

"What about Logan?" Scott gulped down nervously, "Has he woken up yet?"

"No," Charles answered almost amused in his response, "You must've given him quite a blast when you rescued him."

"I told you he was clearly out of his mind. He was delusional and…" Scott stopped himself when Charles' grin expanded, "I didn't mean to hurt him."

"I realize that Scott. I was just teasing you. Just so you know that isn't the only reason he's still resting," Charles offered up giving Scott a moment of reprieve, "The people at the place we pulled him out of were experimenting on him Scott. They'd subjected him to testing that had weakened his immune system so to speak."

"It's interesting that you mention that because when I'd found him, he seemed almost like he was," Scott paused searching for the right word, "healing."

"Indeed," Charles nodded, "part of Logan's mutation is the ability to heal himself. On most occasions he wouldn't be in need of rescuing, but after the things he's endured…"

"Were they like what happened to me?" Scott gulped down at the thought of what he'd been trying to avoid in his past.

Charles nodded, "Logan is a tortured soul Scott. In a great many ways you and he have a lot in common. I realize that's hard to understand at your age, but when the past and future collide, well, there's a certain knowledge that comes with it. Things begin to make sense when the wheels get set in motion on a predetermined path."

"I'm not following," Scott wrinkled his nose at his mentor's words.

"Scott, what if I told you something that no one else knew—something that was from the future—your future specifically?" Charles inquired arching a curious brow, "Would you want to privy to such information or would you rather just as soon forget that a glimpse of the future was out there?"

"It would depend," Scott answered wearily, "Would it be something awful ahead of me?"

"It's a hypothetical question Scott," Charles explained reaching for a blue and green paperweight on his desk, "If you knew something about your future, would you'd be inclined to embrace it if it presented itself to you?"

"I've never really thought about it," Scott shrugged his shoulders, "On the one hand if something wonderful was in the future ahead of me, I'd probably feel relieved in knowing that things were turning around. Not that they haven't been here with you Professor because everything you've done for me is more than I ever anticipated or deserved to have in my life after everything."

"No Scott," Charles simply smiled at him, "That isn't true. You're a wonderful young man, who is one of my closest students. I know that you might not see this, but having you, Jean and Ororo here with me has changed my life."

"For the better I hope," Scott answered with a sheepish grin.

"Indeed. Having the three of you here has brought life back to this school again," Charles nodded with a warm smile spreading across his features, "It wasn't always that way I'm afraid. Back before I'd met Logan this school was in a sad state. He managed to pull Hank and I out of our darkest hour in turning things around for us."

"How so?" Scott inquired.

"He gave me insight on something that could help change the world around me," Charles answered setting his paperweight down again, "He helped guide me in the right direction to put me back on the right path after I'd lost my way."

"It's hard to imagine that you'd lost your way Professor," Scott added with a hint of curiosity in his tone.

"I wasn't always the man you see today," Charles noted bringing one hand up over his head. He rubbed his palm over his temple before focusing on Scott again, "You're one of my best students Scott which is why I know I can trust you with whatever mission happens to come upon us."

"Always," Scott promised readily, "just tell me what you need of me and I'll do it."

"I'm glad to hear you say that because there is the situation with our new arrival here at the school," Charles began drawing in a slow breath.

"Logan?" Scott spoke his name again. Along with the word came an uneasy feeling and a small shiver of anticipation caring over him. It puzzled him, yet tied his stomach in knots when he thought of the primitive man he'd discovered reaching out to kiss him.

"Yes Logan. I realize that Logan is a bit rough around the edges Scott, but at the same time," Charles placed his hands on his desk, "when he wakes up, he's going to be a difficult to handle. I'm hoping that when the time arises that I can trust you to help me in my mission."

"Help you how?" Scott questioned arching a curious brow behind his glasses.

"Logan's lost inside of himself," Charles answered cryptically, "and while I can't get into detail right now, I need someone I trust to keep an eye on him."

"I thought Hank was looking after him," Scott replied shifting in his seat again.

"He is," Charles nodded, "and believe me Hank has been doing everything in his power to help him. Medically Hank has helped him out tremendously, but at the same time given that you were the one to make first contact with Logan when you found him…"

"…you'd like me to be around when he wakes up," Scott finished with a quick nod, "I can do that for you Professor. In fact, I can go down to the medical bay right now and check in on him."

"Just be careful Scott," Charles offered up as Scott stood up to head downstairs, "I realize this is unfamiliar territory for you. As I said before Logan's a bit difficult at times, but…"

"I was able to hold my own when I discovered him underneath the building," Scott explained puffing his chest out from underneath his white t-shirt. He shifted on the balls of his feet, returning to the stoic, business as usual expression that often dominated his time in battle.

"I'm well aware of that," Charles fought to repress the amusement that carried over him again at the thought, "Just let me know when he's awake. If he gives you any problems…"

"I can take care of it," Scott nodded accordingly before exchanging a few pleasantries with Charles.

Once they'd finished talking Scott exited Charles' office preparing to get dressed and keep an eye on their new arrival. A few seconds later Hank arrived and made his way into Charles' office with a concerned expression on his face.

"Are you sure about this?" Hank questioned wearily.

"No Hank, I'm not sure about this," Charles divulged looking to his longtime companion, "but I think it's clear that Scott can hold his own in this particular situation. Of course that doesn't mean that I won't check in on him while he's with Logan."

"Do you think this is such a good idea in having Scott with him unsupervised?" Hank inquired again when a frown touched upon his lips.

"You've been around Logan. You know what he's capable of," Charles added catching the expression on Hank's features behind his thick, dark rimmed glasses.

"All the more reason why I'm not sure leaving him and Scott alone together is such a good idea. You know how Scott was when we found him," Hank moved in to take a seat across from Charles at his desk.

"I recall, but you must also remember what Logan was like when he found us, yes?" Charles added simply, "If it hadn't been for Logan, then we might not have had the opportunity to bring Scott or the others back with us. He'd told us where to look and…"

"Yes, but I still stand by my theory about the future and how one thing can set another path into motion," Hank answered wearily, "by pushing this along with some guidance…"

"It could change everything," Charles finished for him, "and believe me my friend there isn't a day that goes by where I don't think about the future Logan showed me. We may have saved Raven's soul, but everything is still so unclear."

"Which could be both a blessing and a curse," Hank added cautiously, "If we were to tempt fate in intervening, then…"

"We may very well keep ourselves from making the same mistakes we had in the future," Charles explained simply.

"The weight of that statement alone tells me that you must still be carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders after he came to us," Hank paused eyeing him quizzically, "You never told me what you saw when you were inside of his head. Aside from what Logan told the both of us about the future, you never shared just what it was he said to you that prompted you to seek you Scott, Jean and Ororo. Clearly there must be something given your desire to put Scott and Logan in one another's path like this without any real reasoning behind it."

"There are some things left unsaid Hank," Charles met his friend's worried eyes again, "but I do believe that if something is meant to be, then it will find a way."

"All the more reason why we shouldn't tempt fate," Hank added with a shake of his head, "To intervene on the space-time continuum like that…"

"It wouldn't be the first time we've worked on changing things Hank and as long as we're still in control of our own destiny, then I don't believe we should sit back and wait for things to fall as they will. Now is the time to learn from the mistakes we've made and grow from them," Charles added turning his attention to the night sky beyond his office window, "If nothing else I've seen the error of my ways my friend and I'd like to make sure that things turn out as they should've been for all of us."

"Honestly Charles, what did he say to you?" Hank questioned again, "What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing that won't reveal itself to you in time," Charles decided giving Hank another long look, "It's late and perhaps it's time we both retired to bed."

"Scott's going to be down there with Logan by himself," Hank reminded Charles once again, "What if Logan wakes up disoriented or unsure of where he is or worse what if he remembers everything from when he was here before and he starts telling Scott about his future?"

"I'd imagine that could be a possibility for them," Charles shrugged his shoulders, "but it's a risk I'm willing to take for the time being."

"This isn't like you Charles," Hank frowned, "You're usually more forthcoming in what you have ahead for us."

"As I said it will reveal itself in time," Charles explained with another cryptic smirk before adding, "I'll check in on the both of them before the night is over."

"You really believe that will be enough?" Hank replied.

"Tonight I don't see Logan making any big moves and if he does I'm more than confident in Scott's abilities," Charles wheeled himself around his desk. He raised his chin up catching the worried expression on Hank's face when he nodded to his longtime companion, "Why don't you help me on up to my room?"

"Of course," Hank nodded wondering if the path ahead of them was truly one that they were meant to be exploring with an unstable man from their past and Charles' best student. Something told him that whatever was in the future was going to be complicated in ways Hank dared not think of.

XXXXX

The sounds of machines beeping filled the medical bay as Scott entered the room bound and determined not to let Charles down on this new mission. Granted he was a bit nervous about the situation himself when he thought about the last time he'd seen Logan beneath the broken building. The memory of blasting Logan across the room had carried over him, replacing the uneasiness about the kiss they'd shared with a deeper concern for how angry Logan would undoubtedly be if he woke up to see Scott after his knee-jerk reaction. Moving in closer to the hospital bed Scott couldn't help, but watch as the man he'd knocked out lay still lost in dreams that went beyond where he was in the moment.

"Who are you?" Scott questioned making a tentative step towards Logan when the man before him started to twist beneath the blankets. For a moment Scott wondered if Logan was waking up, but when tension creased over his brow and he let out a pained cry, Scott immediately recognized the signs of a nightmare.

"No," Logan rumbled twisting beneath the sheet. His lips curved downward in the beginnings of a scowl. His body was laced with perspiration when he released a small, pained whimper, "Please…stop!"

"Logan," Scott whispered his name. He moved forward attempting to awaken the man he'd brought back home to the mansion as he was tormented by his dream. Knowing this all too well Scott stood beside the bed reaching out to feel Logan's perspiration soaked shoulder. He nudged Logan gently hoping to rouse him from his slumber, "Logan, wake up."

"No!" Logan grunted shifting on the bed beneath Scott's grip on his shoulder, "Don't do this…"

"Logan," Scott nudged him once again.

"Stop…don't…" Logan murmured when his body began to shudder and shake with an unseen terror, "Jean…"

"What did you just say?" Scott's eyes widened behind his visor upon hearing Logan's words. He watched Logan twist under the sheet again before Scott gripped his shoulder tighter than before, "Logan wake up!"

"Jean no…" Logan shuddered, trembling beneath Scott's grip on him. A moment later he let out a shriek as Scott found himself frozen by the pain that resonated in Logan's voice, "Scott no! Wait!"

The sound in itself caused Scott to freeze beside the man, watching as Logan's body tensed up beneath him. In an instant Logan's eyes snapped open, his arms flexing forward when Scott heard the distinct sound of the sheet tearing away from Logan's body. Scott immediately released Logan practically leaping back as he watched thick, metal claws extend from Logan's hands, shooting up through the bed sheet and tearing it to pieces. The movement caused Scott to reach for his visor prepared to respond when Logan sat upright in his bed.

"Where am I?" Logan questioned desperately heaving and fighting to catch his breath. When Logan heard the sound of the machine beeping across the room and felt the needle in his right arm a roar fell from his lips. Immediately he tore the IV from his arm, snarling when he turned to face Scott again. Suddenly he looked less man and more primitive when he leapt towards Scott with another guttural groan. The movement caused Scott to reach for his visor preparing to blast Logan as he had in the cave, but this time his reflexes weren't fast enough. In an instant he found himself pinned on the floor, crushed beneath the man that he'd brought back to the mansion.

"Scott," Logan snarled blinking a few times as he hovered over Scott. His eyes were wide with something Scott couldn't quite recognize, his nose flaring as if he'd somehow been struck by Scott's scent. For a moment Scott found himself in the same position he'd been at the cave, pressed down beneath the naked stranger who seemed more primitive than Scott had anticipated. However, in hearing Logan speak his name again, Scott found himself met by a newfound curiosity.

"How do you know my name?" Scott questioned drawing in an uneasy breath. He gulped down feeling his Adam's apple bounce in his throat as he fought to keep his body's responses cool and collected in the moment of uncertainty, "How do you know me?"

"How can I not?" Logan questioned shifting over Scott just enough to give Scott a moment's reprieve from his weight. There was something on his face, an unspoken sentiment that passed between them when Logan scooped Scott up off of the floor and into his arms. Before Scott could protest he felt himself being pressed down onto the bed, nestled in against the pillow before Logan moved in beside him. The change in their location seemed to put Logan at ease when a thick, hair-dusted arm slid around Scott's slender waist, drawing Scott in against Logan's chest. Scott's first thought was to protest—to somehow reach for his visor and blast Logan off of him, but with one arm pinned on the mattress and the other positioned between him and Logan, Scott simply waited and watched Logan's responses.

"How do you know me?" Scott questioned again feeling the warmth of Logan beside him. There was something about the way Logan was holding him—something about the way that Logan's nose nuzzled the side of Scott's neck. The moment heightened every sensation inside of Scott leaving him to wonder if he'd gotten in over his head in accepting the professor's new mission for him, but before he could question it he heard the distinct sound of Logan snoring. Logan's nose was promptly tucked in beneath Scott's ear, his lips spreading warmth over the side of Scott's neck and although Scott had been initially afraid, he suddenly found himself relaxing in Logan's arms. Granted he was certain he'd have to come up with a plan to escape his latest predicament, but as the brush of Logan's lips carried over his skin, Scott found himself closing his eyes and giving in to the overwhelming exhaustion that carried over him. Later he'd formulate a plan to get his answers, but for tonight, sleep even in such a precarious position felt like a much better idea than wrestling the strikingly curious heavyweight beside him.


	3. Chapter 3

Fire and screams ripped through the night, tearing into the sky when Logan heard the cries of the world around him. There was pain—so much pain and misery, yet he found himself focused on the one beacon of light before him. It was blinding—hot and threatening, yet he moved forward feeling as if his flesh had been ripped from his bones. In some way it had when muscle became gnarled and torn. His metallic bones ached, feeling as if he'd been twisted and turned inside out, yet he stayed focused pushing forward until he found himself facing the cold, dead eyes before him.

"You would die for them?" words hissed in the back of his brain causing him to break apart from the inside out. There was rage and fire and…

"No," Logan gasped opening his eyes to discover himself in a cold, impersonal room. There was a chill in the air accompanied by a brightness overhead indicating that he was in the center of some sterile environment.

"A hospital," he mouthed to himself when he heard the sounds of beeping machines in the distance. He waited listening to their pattern when he became fully aware of the sudden warmth against his chest. Tensing up Logan closed his eyes and waited wondering if this was another dream, yet the warmth beside him felt real—almost too good to be another illusion.

"Mmm…" Logan heard the soft sound of a murmur carry over his companion's lips when Logan reopened his eyes to discover his companion pressed up against him with his soft, silken, dark waves of hair tickling against the side of Logan's neck. His arm was draped over Logan's bare chest in a curious fashion as his slender thigh was interlaced between Logan's powerful legs beneath the thin sheet over them. For a moment Logan felt content—at peace in his own way when the boy beside him nuzzled further into his chest. Instinctively Logan curled his bicep around the boy's waist and smiled.

"Must've been some night," Logan mused to himself when the boy twisted in his arm to reveal the most beautiful, full, lush lips he'd ever had the privilege of kissing. His solid, defined cheekbones gave way to a perfectly sculpted nose, yet the curious thing about the boy was his eyes—or rather Logan's inability to see them as the boy had somehow drifted off with a pair of glasses on it seemed.

"That doesn't look very comfortable," Logan thought to himself when the boy shifted beneath the sheet once again. His arm still remained draped over Logan's chest, holding him close yet his head twisted on Logan's shoulder. It dropped back further onto Logan's arm when Logan got another, more complete glance of his bedmate. The boy by far was the most beautiful bedmate Logan could ever recall having at his side through the years.

"Interesting," Logan mouthed thinking about their surroundings and wondering if the boy had some kind of medical kink as they'd been surrounded by machines and gadgets, yet given how innocent the boy beside him appeared to be, he'd doubted that very much. However curious the situation may appear, Logan found himself met by a momentary disappointment when he realized that the boy beside him was still dressed.

"Damn," he cursed contemplating his current situation when he found himself struck by a curiosity in realizing that he, however, was very naked beside the beautiful stranger. That in itself prompted him to twist beneath the blanket, leaning in to take in his scent over the boy's neck. It was there lingering as a strong indication that they'd been intimate with one another. Clearly Logan had known the boy—had somehow invited the boy into his bed or maybe it was the boy's bed as they lay together sleeping in one another's arms. Truth be told that aspect of things puzzled Logan the most given that he'd almost never invited anyone he'd taken home with him to stay. Sure, on occasion there were a few stragglers he could remember on the road, but none as fascinating as the creature beside him.

"Who are you?" Logan questioned unable to refrain from reaching out to touch the boy in his arms. He felt the boy shift again, sliding back onto the tiny hospital bed they shared with a sigh.

Watching the boy's dark hair fall onto the pillowcase Logan twisted around so that he hovered over the boy watching and waiting for a response out of him. When he found none, he focused on the boy's mouth again. It seemed to keep calling to him like a siren song drawing him in until he took in the faint, lingering scent of his mouth over the boy's. They'd kissed. That much Logan was certain of as he'd found himself anticipating doing it again. Leaning forward Logan brushed his fingertips over the side of the boy's face rousing him from his slumber when Logan felt the boy tense up beneath him.

"Logan?" he questioned in a breathless yawn. He stretched his long legs out beneath Logan when Logan's fingers pushed into his thick, dark hair.

"Morning beautiful," Logan whispered giving in to instinct and dipping down to kiss the boy in the hopes that the action would awaken memories from the inevitably hot night the two must've shared with one another. It was almost cruel that Logan couldn't recall how he'd wound up in such a position with temptation beneath him, panting and gasping as Logan's lips crashed into his.

At first Logan felt a whimper vibrate on the boy's lips causing Logan to question his actions, but soon the boy's whimpers shifted into a soft moan when his lips parted inviting Logan to take a taste of the mouth he was quite certain he'd want to spend hours exploring. Suddenly everything around Logan felt hazy with his mind unable to fill in the blanks when the boy's fingers stretched out onto his shoulder gripping and holding him with uncertainty. Their tongues teased and explored each other, lips colliding in a heated frenzy when Logan finally felt the boy tense up beneath him.

"Stop," his companion whispered breathlessly, "Logan. Wait…"

"What?" Logan questioned lazily when there was a sound coming from behind the bed they were in. Suddenly another scent filled the air when Logan sprung off of the mattress and onto the floor. Sliding his claws out, Logan met their new arrival with a snarl. A part of him half anticipated it being the mob or the last man who'd come to collect on feeling hustled by Logan, but instead Logan found himself staring at another young man with black framed glasses on his face.

"I see you're awake now," the man smiled politely, but his eyes spoke volume of the disapproval that he'd experienced in entering the room, "Logan."

"How do you know my name?" Logan grumbled under his breath. He shifted his gaze over his shoulder to discover his companion shuffling out of bed with a bright blush carrying over his features, "Who are you?"

"My name is Hank," the new arrival held his hands up in the air, "and that's Scott. We're here to help you."

"Scott," Logan redirected his attention to his bedmate again. He could see that the kiss had visibly shaken the boy causing him to turn away from Logan without so much as a second glance. Suddenly everything felt off when Logan focused on the slender youth he'd been wrapped up in moments later, "Who are you?"

"We pulled you out of the sewers," Hank answered for Scott. He stepped into the room doing his best to sound neutral when Logan spun around to discover Hank closing in upon him.

"What did you do to me? Where the hell am I?" Logan's face twisted defensively.

"You're safe now," Hank offered up making another step towards Logan. The movement caused Logan to step back, claws still extended and prepared for whatever was around the corner.

"No," Logan shook his head and frowned, "I was back at the facility and…"

"I rescued you," Scott finally broke his long silence when Logan looked across the room to see Scott had moved to the far corner away from the bed. He brought his hand up, brushing his index finger over his bottom lip in an uneasy movement. A second later he raised his chin up forcing himself to look at Logan behind his glasses, "I found you in the water and…"

"You hit me with something," Logan gasped in realization when it suddenly became clear where he'd seen the boy before. Remembering the way he'd attempted to rescue the boy, he could see them trapped together in the water when the boy had done something—had hit him with a force that had knocked him across the stone walls, "What did you do to me? Who are you?"

"Who do you think I am?" Scott questioned finally regaining his bearings and taking a bold step forward, "How do you know my name?"

"I don't know you," Logan snarled shifting his positions when he finally took in his surroundings. It was a lab of sorts—not like the one he'd escaped from not long ago, but with the medical equipment and the needles on the counter, there was no mistaking what was happening to him again, "Stay away from me! Both of you! I'm warning you!"

"We aren't here to harm you Logan," Hank's worried eyes shifted over to where Scott was standing, "We just want to help you."

"Like hell," Logan roared charging at Hank when time suddenly stood still. For a moment Logan felt his body tense up, his limbs becoming useless when another man entered the room in a wheelchair. Behind his blue eyes there was a sense of concern and amusement when he stared up at Logan.

"We mean you no harm my friend," the man's voice echoed inside of his head, "I'm Charles Xavier and although you don't remember me, we are old friends."

"No," Logan attempted to shake his head, but found himself immobilized in the moment. He struggled feeling the weight release itself when he was able to move. His arms lowered down beside him with claws returning to his body. Wearily his eyes shifted between Hank and Scott wondering why they still weren't moving in the moment, "What are you?"

"I'm a mutant much like yourself," Charles answered finally speaking up outside of Logan's mind. He moved into the room with a smooth fluidity before addressing Logan again, "I realize that your mind is jumbled at the moment my friend, but you and I were close not long ago. We have a history with one another."

"No," Logan shook his head and grumbled, "I don't know you."

"You do," Charles stated plainly when the room around Logan seemed to spring to life once again, "You just aren't aware of it yet, but I can help you clear up the confusion if you'll allow me to."

"Charles," Hank spoke up preparing to move in closer to Logan when Charles raised his hand up in the air to prevent Hank from moving at Logan.

"I can take care of this Hank," Charles answered dismissively with his eyes still on Logan, "Logan and I are going to have a civilized conversation with one another, now aren't we?"

Logan stood silent watching as Scott's hand moved up to his visor and served as a reminder of what the boy had done to him inside of the hell he'd been trapped in. For a moment he found himself met by anger and rage preparing to lash out at the boy he'd been kissing moments earlier, but when Charles spoke up in a smooth and even tone, Logan relented relaxing his posture a bit.

"Yeah sure," Logan huffed.

"Scott," Charles called to his student, "why don't you and Hank go upstairs with the other students? You aren't needed in here right now."

"But…" Scott opened his mouth to protest.

"Professor, I really don't think that…" Hank offered up his objection.

"Logan and I will be fine," Charles smiled over at Logan, "won't we?"

"Yeah," Logan huffed taking a seat back on the edge of the bed. Suddenly aware of his nakedness Logan thought about the situation he'd awakened to. However, with everyone else seemingly unaffected by his nudity, Logan simply made himself more comfortable on the bed allowing his thighs to stretch out over the thin sheet. He sensed movement to the left of him indicating that Scott was walking towards the room's exit. Almost immediately Logan's eyes were upon the boy sizing him up now that he was in a disappointingly more vertical position making his way towards the door. Unable to refrain from staring, Logan's gaze fell upon Scott's tight, perky bottom inside of his jeans wondering if his scent would linger there as well as it had upon Scott's lips. Unable to refrain from smirking, Logan reached down to tap the hospital bed with his fingers tauntingly, "though you know if Slim wants to stay with us, I don't have any objections."

"Slim?" Scott repeated turning around to face Logan fully. The movement caused Logan to realize that the blush in Scott's features had intensified, undoubtedly compounded with the embarrassment he'd felt when his chin tipped down to steal a glimpse of Logan naked. Although Logan could sense how uncomfortable the boy was, he couldn't help, but tease further with a slow, slide of his thigh across the sheet to reveal his manhood to a now gasping Scott. He watched the boy's lips part with his tongue teasing out over the top of his bottom lip before Logan's hand patted over his own thigh.

"You can take a seat right over here on my lap if you'd like," Logan smirked at the boy only to elicit a groan from Hank.

"Charles," Hank scowled disapprovingly, "I told you that this was a bad idea. Right now I don't think that…"

"What if I did?" Scott stepped in closer to Logan calling him on his lewd behavior, "What then? What would you do in front of the others?"

"What?" Logan watched as the tempting boy he'd awakened in bed with crossed the room with a stoic expression on his face.

"What would you do to me if I stayed?" Scott challenged him further catching the rest of the room off guard with his boldness. He moved in closer to Logan reaching out to slide his index finger over Logan's thick shoulder blade. The movement caused goose bumps to form on Logan's flesh, rendering him speechless when Scott licked his own lower lip once again, "What is it you think that I'd have to gain by taking a seat on your lap?"

"Well I…" Logan found himself at a loss when Scott's gaze dropped down to Logan's lap for a brief, dismissive glance again. It gave nothing away about Scott's thoughts, but rather puzzled Logan when Scott leaned in closer to him to whisper in his ear.

"It's not all that impressive," Scott mouthed loud enough for Logan alone to hear before he pulled back with a wicked smirk.

"Bullshit," Logan called his bluff, preparing to offer another set of words to coax Scott back into bed with him again when Charles cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Scott, that's all for now," Charles explained waving his hand in the air and bringing the sheet over Logan's body to cover him up. The movement caused Scott to step back and avoid Logan's eyes with the sharp turn he made on his heel, "I think you and Hank should tell the others that our new guest is awake and will be joining us for dinner."

"Of course," Hank nodded following Scott out of the medical bay to give Charles and Logan a moment of privacy.

"That was highly inappropriate," Charles chastised Logan once they were alone with one another, "He's just a boy Logan."

"A boy who was in my bed this morning," Logan tipped his head to the side to give Charles another curious once over, "Why is that?"

"Why don't you tell me?" Charles moved in closer to Logan.

"What is this place?" Logan questioned feeling himself overtaken with apprehension all over again in Scott's absence.

"It's a school—a sanctuary for others like us who have sought out solace," Charles informed him in a smooth and even tone, "Not long ago you found your way to us Logan and made a very special request out of Hank and I."

"What kind of request?" Logan's jaw tensed up at the expression on Charles' face. Thinking about Scott in his bed, Logan couldn't help, but inquire, "Does Scott—does he work for you? Are you his…?"

"Heavens no," Charles mused with laughter in his voice, "My you do have quite an active imagination my friend. It seems it would serve to lead you down a dark path if you aren't careful."

"Careful and I don't go hand in hand," Logan scoffed sliding off of the bed and looking around the room, "Where are my things?"

"This is how we found you," Charles answered observing as Logan walked around the room in search of his clothing, "What were you doing in that building Logan?"

"Escaping," Logan cut back sharply, "which is what I intend to do right now once I get on a pair of pants and…"

"Where will you go?" Charles inquired, "Who will you see?"

"I'll figure it out," Logan marched over to one of the cabinets. He pulled it open only to discover medical supplies before him. Closing the door, he moved on to the next cabinet and opened it to discover neatly folded piles of gray sweatpants before him. He selected one from the top of the shelf before attempting to put them on, "I always do."

"Yes, but what kind of life has that been for you Logan?" Charles questioned observing him from across the room, "It must be lonely going from place to place and not knowing what brought you there."

"What do you know about any of that?" Logan snarled back at him.

"A lot more than you can imagine my friend," Charles answered simply, "As I explained before you and I have a history with one another—one that I'd like for us to explore in a less clinical setting if you will."

"Is that right?" Logan asked wearily.

"Stay for dinner," Charles suggested, "It will give you time to get acquainted with the others."

"No thanks bub," Logan insisted pulling the pants up to his waist. He focused on the cabinet again and spotted a matching gray sweatshirt on the shelf as well. Reaching for it, he wrinkled his nose at the looks of it, but attempted to put it on regardless.

"At least take the time to enjoy a hot shower and a meal," Charles paused when Logan felt the press of the man in his mind somehow as if he'd stepped inside of Logan to read his thoughts, "or a beer for heaven's sake."

"Beer," Logan repeated as if he'd finally heard Charles for the first time since his arrival.

"I have some stored in my office—locked away from the students of course," Charles flashed him a small grin, "They're Canadian."

"In that case," Logan discarded the sweatshirt when it proved to be too small for him, "throw in a halfway decent shirt and you're on."

"I'll do you one better," Charles assured him with a nod, "I'll show you to your old room where you stayed the last time you were visiting here."

"I was here before?" Logan questioned wearily. His eyes shifted around the room, taking in his surroundings once again before his gaze lingered to the bed he'd awakened in, "What about the others?"

"If you stay for dinner, then you can have the opportunity to speak with Scott again," Charles suggested as if he'd read Logan's thoughts again, "It'll give you the opportunity to apologize for your rudeness with him."

"Hmm," Logan pondered his thoughts before finally nodding, "I'll think about it—after that beer."

"Of course," Charles nodded as he found himself wondering just what he was getting himself and the others into in bringing Logan to the school again under such strange circumstances.

xxxxx

"You alright Scott?" Hank questioned as Scott leaned up against the back of the elevator. He tipped his head back closing his eyes behind his visor as he let out an uneasy breath.

"Of course," Scott lied fighting to keep his thoughts under control as they prepared to go speak with the others, "why wouldn't I be?"

"I know Logan's a bit of a handful," Hank began apologetically.

"I'd say he's more than a handful," Scott gulped down harder than he'd anticipated when he thought about Logan's naked body over him. Suddenly feeling flushed again, Scott tried to turn away from his friend, "Um, you know what I mean."

"Logan has this way about him," Hank frowned, "I don't know why the professor brought him here again."

"What happened the last time he was here?" Scott questioned forcing himself to look at Hank, "Why doesn't he remember the both of you if he and Charles are longtime friends?"

"It was a very complicated situation the last time Logan was here," Hank shifted on his feet and avoided Scott's questioning, "It was a very dire time at the mansion."

"He was here before you and Charles found Jean and me though, right?" Scott couldn't help, but ask.

Hank nodded, "It was quite a while before the both of you were here."

"But he knows us," Scott searched Hank's features further, "He was dreaming and he said her name and mine."

"He did?" Hank's brow perked with sudden interest, "What did he say?"

"Not much," Scott rolled his shoulders back and shrugged, "He just called out our names before…"

"Before what?" Hank asked.

"Nothing," Scott folded his arms in front of his chest to close himself off from the memories of the night before with Logan, "He's just a very restless sleeper."

"Speaking of which," Hank cleared his throat again, "with what he was saying to you Scott… I know you spent the night in there watching him for the professor, but if Logan said or did anything appropriate... I mean beyond what he said when we were leaving."

"No," Scott lied knowing full well that Hank had undoubtedly walked in on the two of them kissing, "he didn't."

"Scott," Hank opened his mouth before nodding, "alright, but if you ever want to…to talk about anything, you know that you can always speak to me, right?"

"Why did the professor bring him here?" Scott questioned focusing on Hank again, "What does he want from Logan?"

"I don't know Scott, but whatever it is," Hank's lips curved downward in the beginnings of a scowl, "I hope Charles knows what he's doing."

"You and me both," Scott replied bringing his hand up to his lip once again. Closing his eyes he traced his index finger over his bottom lip where Logan had kissed him wondering how in the world his thoughts could be returning to the crass, blatant man he'd awakened in bed with. There was something brutish about his approach—something disgusting and repulsive in ways that Scott would've balked away from in the past, yet in thinking about the way that Logan's eyes carried over him, watching him like the cat who ate the canary, Scott couldn't help, but find himself curious.

"You know what they say about playing with fire Scott," Hank's words cut through Scott's thoughts about Logan naked and taunting him from the hospital bed.

"Trust me," Scott cleared his throat and stood up taller. He tried to shield his thoughts—to bury them down deep when he focused on the task the professor had requested of him, "I won't get burned."

"Or so you think," Hank mouthed when the elevator doors opened and Scott stepped out into the hallway leaving Hank to wonder if the professor was about to open the door to trouble in ways that neither one of them could imagine in inviting the man from the past back into their lives all over again.


End file.
